Fota House in Cork is to become the first historic building to come under the stewardship of the Irish Heritage Trust - an organisation set up in 2006 to preserve properties of historic and cultural significance.
The house is operated by the Fota Trust and the gardens are managed by the Office of Public Works (OPW). It is intended that the trust will take ownership of the house by the year end, when the legal arrangements are finalised. The OPW will continue to manage the gardens for a further five years, when the trust will assume responsibility.
The trust was established in 2006 to acquire and present to the public major heritage properties where the State does not wish to acquire them directly and where there is an imminent risk to their heritage value.
Fota House, the centrepiece of the great estate of the earls of Barrymore, survives with its architectural heritage and detail intact. It was created by Sir Richard Morrison and his son William Vitruvious, two celebrated architects. The house is set in its original island park with its famous arboretum and renowned gardens.
For the past 14 years the house has been managed by the Fota Trust, set up by University College Cork, Cork City Council and Cork County Council.